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KABUL, Afghanistan — A gunfight broke out between Afghan and foreign soldiers on the outskirts
of the capital yesterday, killing at least one Afghan serviceman and injuring a number of troops,
according to Afghan and NATO officials.

So-called “insider attacks” are severely straining ties between the NATO-led alliance and
authorities in Kabul, and further undermining waning support for the war in the West.

Such attacks have become one of the Taliban’s most-effective weapons against the coalition.

“There was an argument between an Afghan and foreign soldier inside a military base ... where
they opened fire on each other. An investigation is ongoing,” Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat
Waziri said.

The soldier killed was Afghan, a spokesman for the NATO-led force said. A number of others were
reported to have been injured.

Insider attacks have been on the rise in recent months, with at least five reported since Sept.
21, compared with 11 incidents since the start of the year.

A flurry of attacks last year caused the coalition to briefly suspend joint military operations,
a mission cornerstone, and adopt measures limiting troop interaction.

“If it gets worse, it’ll make the coalition plan for post-2014 come apart pretty quick,” said an
army strategist working on those plans.

Most foreign combat troops are due to leave by the end of next year, but a small mission might
remain in Afghanistan to continue supporting its newly formed military and police forces.

Afghanistan and the U.S. have not yet agreed on several issues in a bilateral security pact, and
Washington has threatened to pull out its troops next year unless differences are ironed out soon.
Two years ago, the U.S. ended its military mission in Iraq with a similar “zero-option” outcome
after talks failed.